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Spiegelau Instagram Takeover: The Ugly Duckling

Here at Spiegelau, we want you to raise the bar.

Our Perfect Serve Collection is all about drinking well, staying classy and having a good time doing it. To celebrate this, we've asked four bars across the country to each spend one weekend with us for the next four months. They'll be taking over our Instagram from Thursday to Saturday, and showing us how it's done here in Australia.

Next up, we'll be in The Ugly Duckling in Richmond, Melbourne. Their Instagram takeover is happening this coming Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 June, and we spoke to Bar Manager Paul Beresford to find out what to expect.

There’s always something happening at The Ugly Duckling, whether they are promoting a cocktail they entered into a competition, pouring their feature wine, or giving out free bar snacks during their aperativo hour (5.00pm-7.00pm every weekday). Head in to try one of their weird and wonderful original creations, or wind down from the day with a well-made classic. In Paul's words, "The more you appreciate a good drink, the harder we’ll work to make it extra special!"

by Erin Ogilvie

How did you become a bartender and how long have you been doing it?

I started behind the bar to support myself while studying, and it all took off from there! Spent many years learning the tricks of the trade and had a great time doing so. The passion for the job just developed naturally over that time.

What do you love most about your job?

The hours! ... Not really. Suggesting the perfect cocktail to an interested customer and making it taste amazing - bringing that newfound simple pleasure into someone’s life is what makes it rewarding.

Describe your bar in three words.

Beautiful, adventurous, delicious.

What's your signature cocktail?

A slightly re-jigged version of a New Orleans Hurricane with a Grand Marnier float. It's a modern version of Pat O'Brien's bar in New Orleans; long, sweet and tart, and heavy on the rum. Served in a Perfect Serve Long Drink with an ironic wind-blown umbrella.

What’s your favourite spirit to mix cocktails with, and why?

At the moment it’s Rum; like many other bartenders out there I’ve been sucked into the tiki revival! Just the huge variety and vast differences of style and flavour between different regions and producers makes working with Rum a real joy for me - and not just within the general palette of tiki drinks.

What do you think is the key to a great cocktail?

Balance, and using fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Our motto is to “Raise the Bar”: what’s your #1 tip for a cocktail lover?

Never have the same drink twice - keep exploring new versions of different spirits, cocktails, styles and flavours that you love. That said, always try to get the right drink for the right occasion

- you’ll be rewarding yourself!

What’s your favourite thing about the Melbourne bar scene?

It’s top notch on the world scale - It’s becoming almost impossible to get a bad drink around town these days, due to the incredible amount of effort bartenders are putting into understanding their products and improving their drinks day in, day out. The sense of community shared by Melbourne bartenders is just great. There’s such a close-knit feel to the industry in this town, which makes it heaps of fun (and very satisfying) to work in!